Stick Clip (n) A device attached to a pole of some sort, usually a painters pole, that will hold the carabiner on a quickdraw with rope attached. Used to clip the first and sometimes second bolt of a climb to prevent decking if you fall on the climb before you are able to clip the first bolt.

Bowline knot - n. One of the two common knots for tying in to the climbing harness (after the Figure 8 knot). Used by some experienced climbers for indoor and sport climbing because it is easier to untie after repeated loadings. Can be tied with one hand. Should be periodically re-tightened and the loose end MUST be secured with a Stopper knot - it may pull through the loop otherwise. "The rabbit goes out of the hole, around the tree, and back down the hole" is a commonly used phrase that provides hints on how to tie the bowline knot.

Clove hitch - n. A hitch that is secure when fastened but easily adjustable by pulling open. Used most often to fasten a rope/sling to a carabiner; can also be tied onto fence posts or pickets. Consists of two half hitches crossed on top of each other - the looped area is then clipped with a locking carabiner.

Double Overhand knot - see Double Stopper knot

Double Stopper knot - n. A stopper knot with an extra turn around the parallel strand of rope. More secure than the simple version. a.k.a. Double Overhand knot.

Figure 9 knot - n. Similar to a Figure 8 knot but with an extra turn around the main rope. Used occasionally when a strong knot is required that is easy to untie after loading.

Girth hitch - n. A very simple hitch for attaching a sling to a harness or a tree. The sling is threaded back through a loop in itself. When attached to a tree or large branch, it should be used carefully as it can be very weak in the wrong configuration.

Italian hitch - see Münter hitch

Münter hitch - n. A non-locking hitch that allows enough friction to provide an excellent belay method when used in conjunction with a locking carabiner, preferably a wide-mouthed (HMS) carabiner. Named after Swiss mountain guide Werner Münter. a.k.a. Italian hitch

Ring bend - see Water knot

Stopper knot - n. An overhand knot usually tied around a parallel strand of rope to secure the loose end of a main knot. The more secure double version is commonly used (see Double Stopper Knot). a.k.a. thumb knot

Tape knot - see Water knot

Thumb knot - see Stopper knot

Water knot - n. Used to connect the ends of a sling into a loop or to link two slings together. It is basically an overhand knot in one end, with the other end fed back through in the reverse direction. Can also be used for ropes, but the ropes can easily become undone. Should be pulled very tight, with long tail ends (at least five times the sling's width). a.k.a. ring bend or tape knot

BELAY DEVICES SECTION:

Grigri - n. An auto-locking belay device working on a similar principle to car seatbelts, where a shock loading will tighten a sprung camming system and hold the rope. Does not allow dynamic belaying, so a large impact force results.

Hooking - n./v. Foot technique involving the use of the heel as a prehensile limb, pulling the body toward a hold. Requires well-fitting heels - slippers are not suitable for this movement style as the heel tends to pop out of the shoe. Best used to cross large overhangs. Camming the heel against a flake and the toe against the wall is often a very effective variation.

Palming - n./v. Hand technique where the palm of the hand pushes downward on a slab or bulge, allowing the extension muscles to be used if the angle is low enough to allow good friction.

Elevator door - n. Hand technique that is essentially a double Gaston, i.e. both hands are pulling on either side of a narrow crack, like trying to pull elevator doors open.

Crucifix move - n. A strenuous stemming move using the arms instead of the legs; the upper body is locked by applying outward pressure on the hands at anything up to shoulder level, allowing the feet to be brought over a bulge or blank section. Often used in conjunction with standard stemming to tackle wide chimneys.

Tape - n. Zinc oxide tape.

Taping up - v. The action of applying tape around the knuckles or used to improvise gloves with bare palms in order to protect from rock crystals digging into the flesh. Especially useful in crack climbing.

Engram - n. psychology An encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a memory trace. e.g. After practicing overhangs, the message from the brain will work on the opposing muscle groups much more effectively when following recently used pathways.

Knee lock - see Knee bar

Worm grinding - Slab climbing technique where a toe is placed onto a change in angle, with the other toes lower. The toe is ground into the rock as the other toes are pivoted upward; once the rubber has bitten it will stay put and absorb all the climber's weight.

Proposed correction for Dyno - n./v. A type of dynamic move where the climber launches from a "spring" body position and ends in a "catch". A full dyno involves most or all of the limbs becoming airborne, with the body describing a "C" pattern in the air. Other types of dynamic moves are double dynos, slaps, and udges.

Double dyno - n. A dyno where both hands launch out simultaneously for a high break.

Slap - n./v. A type of dynamic move involving the fast movement of a hand from one hold to another while the rest of the body remains fairly still.

Udge - n./v. A type of dynamic move that starts as a static reach for a hold, but the last few inches are just beyond the comfortable point of balance and require a sudden committing acceleration to reach the hold. Sometimes an intermediate sloping hold can be used mometarily to gather resources for the final surge.

Rock-on - n. Technique where a toe or heel on a hold at about waist height is used to pull the body weight up and over. Can be very strenuous if attempted statically so it is generally best treated as a dynamic move, launching from a foothold and "throwing" the hips by using side pulls or pushing down on a hold behind the hips. Is often the key to difficult slab moves.

Dynamic rope - n. A rope that stretches to absorb impact, vital for lead climbing.

Egyptian move - n. The dropped knee technique but without twisting the body, allowing the feet to push in opposition even if using vertical holds. Is sometimes the only way that either hand can be freed up.

Escaping the system - v. Transferring the weight of a hanging climber directly to the anchor, so that the belayer can move away to solve a problem.

Grade - n. An approximate measure of the technical difficulty of a climb.

G-Tox - n./v. A method of shaking out the arms which utilizes gravity to shorten muscle recovery time.

Impact force - n. The maximum force affecting the climber and anchors as a falling climber is brought to a halt. The faster the deceleration, the greater the impact force.

Kleimheist hitch - n. A versatile prusik hitch that can be tied using cord or webbing. Allows a climber to ascend or descend a fixed climbing rope, particularly in an emergency situation. Easier to slide on a fixed rope than a normal prusik.

Knee bar - n./v. Similar to an arm bar but using either the thigh bone or the lower leg cammed across a wide crack.

Left-right diagonal - n. Combination of, for example, right hand and left foot on holds to give a strong braced through body tension. Particularly effective on steep rock.

Locking off/Lock-off - v./n. A powerful holding position in which one elbow is fully contracted, allowing the other arm to reach out for a hold. Limits the amount of reach available.

Pacing - n./v. A fundamental way of conserving energy by varying the speed of movement according to the angle of the rock.

Rack - n. The set of protection equipment used for a climb.2

Ripples - n. pl. Undulations in a slab surface that may allow the feet to gain a hold through friction.

Static move - n. A slow reach for a hold, the opposite of a dynamic move which involves "slapping" or even jumping for a hold.

Static rope - n. A nonelastic rope, useful for situations other than lead climbing.

Stitch plate - n. A belay device consisting of a flat plate with a single or, more commonly, a pair of slots, often used generically.

Twist-lock - n./v. A lock-off in which the body is turned to face the hold. Often combined with turning the hips at right angles to the rock by using the outside edge of the opposite foot. Allows a considerably greater reach.

Undercut - see Undercling

Weighting (the rope) - v./n. Resting by hanging on the belay rope. Not allowed in a a clean ascent.

Exposure - n. 1. Being far above your last piece of protection. 2. Being high above the ground or in a remote location.

Express - see Quickdraw.

Face Climbing...considered to be....

Figure 8 - n. 1. Rappel or belay device shaped like the number "8" with a large and small hole. A bight of rope is fed through the large hole and passed over the small end. 2. A knot that has the shape of the number 8, often tied with a bight or retraced with the running end to make a secure loop.

Finger jam - n. Obtaining purchase in a crack wide enough for a finger but too narrow for a hand; can be achieved with one or more fingers. [delete following: this is a dictionary, not a manual]

Fist Jam - n. Using a fist wedged into a crack instead of a grip to hold on.

Flash - v., n. Complete a climb on first try, without weighting the rope; see also Onsight, Red Point. Primarily for lead climbing; but no alternative term for top-rope, so used there too.

Free Climb - v. To climb directly on the rock by your own body, rather than using devices that allow and help you to move up. Free climbing does use a rope, but only to limit a fall. See also Free Solo, Hang Dog.

Twin Ropes: a pair of ropes intended to be clipped together as a single rope while lead climbing. A rope intended for such useage will generally be marked with an infinity (sideways 8) symbol.

Double ropes: a pair of ropes intended to be used such that only one rope will be clipped into any particular piece of protection. Generally used to reduce rope drag issues on (trad) routes that wander, or where the gear is often well off the main climbing line. A rope intended for this useage will generally be marked with a 1/2 symbol on it, though any rope intended as a single rope can, also, be used as one of a double-ropes pair.

Half ropes: the same as double ropes.

Also, the entry for Express spells should have "opre" corrected to "rope".